“The Summer Literacy Institute explores a wide-range of
literacy issues at the elementary level through presentations by national
experts and local practitioners,” Professor Terri Christenson, Summer Literacy
Institute committee member, said. “Participants engage in a collaborative
learning environment where teachers can connect and network with others, and it
offers a balanced and comprehensive approach to the teaching of reading,
writing, and children’s literature.”

Professor Marcia Rockwood says that literacy is an ever-evolving
issue in the educational system, and navigating the changing face of literacy
is a main goal of the institute.

“In the past, literacy was typically defined as the ability
to read and write, it was viewed as ‘functional,’” Rockwood said. “Students
today need critical-thinking and communication skills to keep pace with
technological advancements.”

The Summer Literary Institute is a nationally recognized
professional development opportunity for teachers and attracts top presenters
in the field of literacy, both locally as well as nationally. This year’s presenters include Debbie
Miller, Kathryn Pierce, Michael Opitz, Lauren Stringer, and Sheree Fitch.
Sessions will cover a variety of topics including: creating a classroom culture
of thinking, sustaining professional conversations about student work,
exploring the potential of talk, integrating fitness and reading, the
essentials of making a picture book and the oral tradition of storytelling.

Teachers who attend the institute come from both the United
States and internationally, and often come back year after year to re-charge
and energize for the upcoming fall school year.

“We need to be flexible in our teaching with both our head
and our heart,” a 2012 participant said. “Creating a balance is our job as
educators.”